For months now I’ve been listening to a radio advert, which tells a brilliant little story about Alfred Hitchcock. Every time I hear it, I smile to myself and think, I must use that. I finally got my opportunity last week during a discussion about leading people.

The story goes like this: A young Jimmy Stewart is getting ready to shoot his first scene for the movie Rear Window. He approaches Hitchcock and asks “How would you like me to play this scene?” Hitchcock replies, “Well, I want you to start here, finish over there, and anything in between is up to you.”

You see, by 1954, Jimmy Stewart was already recognised as one of the finest up-and-coming actors in Hollywood. Hitchcock understood that. Stewart knew what he was doing; he’d learned his lines, and was a huge talent. So Hitchcock delegated all responsibility, and just let him get on with it. “You’ll be great”! And he was. This is a fantastic example of what Ken Blanchard describes as ‘delegating leadership’ in his book Leading at a Higher Level. When your team member has high competence and high commitment, you just need to trust them, and leave them to it. Of course, Hitchcock’s approach might not have worked for everyone. But for Jimmy, given his skills, and his situation, it was great leadership. But then, just as Hitchcock became my latest leadership hero, I dug a little deeper and found he had said this too: “I deny I ever said that actors are like cattle. What I said was, actors should be treated like cattle!”So my search continues. Have you found your leadership hero?

What next?

READ: ‘'Leading at a Higher Level’ by Ken Blanchard. One of the easiest-to-read and most useful books you’ll read this year!

Check out the ‘Leading People’ theme. Maybe this theme is right for you and your management team.

On the next rainy Sunday afternoon, go buy yourself some popcorn, hire Rear Window from the video shop, and cuddle up in front of the fire. It’s a classic!